Readers’ forum: Suspicious support

One of my clients (the sole director and shareholder of his one-man company) asked me to furlough him since 17 March. I have recently discovered that he has in fact been working since that time.

I intend to write to him and request that he refund to HMRC the payments that the business has received under the coronavirus job retention scheme (CJRS). I will advise him that if he does not do this and HMRC finds out there will be 100% penalties to pay.

If he ignores this advice where do I stand ethically? Should I resign? Should I report him for money laundering purposes? If I do nothing and HMRC finds out would I also be culpable because I knew that this was going on?

Is there anything I can do to cover myself? I wonder whether he will be the only client in...